Bird GuideCrows, Magpies, JaysEurasian Jackdaw

Eurasian Jackdaw

Eurasian Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
At a Glance Range & Identification Back to Top

At a Glance

This small Eurasian crow staged a minor invasion of northeastern North America in the early to mid 1980s, with singles and small groups found in several states and provinces, and up to 50 at one spot in Quebec. These birds may have ridden on ships for part or all of their crossing of the Atlantic. There have been only a few records since 1986.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Urban and Suburban Habitats
Behavior
Direct Flight

Range & Identification

Description

13" (33 cm). A stocky bird, related to the crows but a little smaller. Mostly black with a paler gray nape and conspicuous whitish or bluish white eyes. Might be confused with various grackles and blackbirds (some of which have pale eyes), but note the jackdaw's larger size and the sharp contrast between the black crown and pale gray nape.
Size
About the size of a Crow
Wing Shape
Broad, Fingered, Rounded
Tail Shape
Rounded, Square-tipped

Songs and Calls

“chjak” – higher-pitched than other crow species.